Tumble lock



March 4, 1952 Filed April 9, 1947 H. F. GEORGE 2,588,230

TUMBLER LOCK 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR.

March 4-, 1952 GEORGE 2,588,230

TUMBLER LOCK Filed April 9, 1947 2. SHEETS-SHEET 2 4/ INVENTOR.

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9 W vglgd Patented Mar. 4, 1952 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE TUMBLER Loon Harry F. George, Chicago, Ill. Application April 9, 1947, Serial No. 740,390

This invention relates to tumbler locks and more particularly to such locks in which metallic springs are eliminated.

In tumbler looks as known prior to the present invention, metallic springs have been used for normally urging the tumblers into locked position away from the parting plane. Such springs have been subject to breakage because of their necessary small size, which breakage when occurring would destroy the usefulness of the lock. Metal springs are also liable to become distorted, corroded or otherwise incapacitated, and for these as well as other reasons unable to successfully perform their intended purpose. In the present invention, metal springs are eliminated without in anyway lessening the efiiciency and ease of operation of the lock.

Among the objects of my invention are: to-

14 Claims. (of. 70-363) provide a. novel and improved tumbler lock; to H provide a tumbler lock in which metal springsfor the tumblers are eliminated; to provide nonmetallic resilient means for urging the tumblers forward and which means is considerably larger in cross-section than the cross-sectional area of.

the hole in which the respective tumbler slides; to provide a resilient block for yieldably receiving the thrust of the tumblers when forced by the key from distended position into position in the parting plane during the unlocking operation; to provide a block of rubber or the like, of a size to yieldably receive the thrust of all of the tumblers; and such further objects, advantages and capas bilities, inherently possessed by my invention, as will later more fully appear.

. My invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while I have shown therein preferred embodie ments, I wish it understood that the same are susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention. In the drawings: .Flg. l is a perspective view of a tumber lock embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the key adapted to be inserted into the lock of Fig. 1 for operating the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the median plane of my lock with the plug in elevation, and showing the lock in locked position. Fig. 4 i san end elevation looking toward the lefthand side of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig.3, but showing the key in position after having moved the tumbler pins to unlocking position. Fig. 6 is an end elevation looking toward the right hand side of Fig. 1. I Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section through a median plane at right angles to the plane of the Fig. 8 is atransverse section on the of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a transverse section on the line 9-3 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the rubber blocki with a second annular offset 4, the latter of which.

in effect constitutes a flange. The flange 4 is circular around its interior except that it is provided with a radial notch 5 to receive a lug'B on the key I. Fixedly mounted to the interior wall of the shell I is a tumbler pin cylinder 8 having a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings 9. for slidably receiving tumbler pins I I! of different lengths as is common in tumber lock practice. Cylinder 8 is fixed to shell I in any suitable manner, as for example, by a pin II passing through and fixed in both of the shell and the cylinder 8, or by welding, brazing or in any other manner sufficient to fix cylinder 8 to shell I. Cylinder 8 is formed with a circular central opening to rotatably receive the plug I2, which plug is rotated within the shell upon rotation of the key I.

Positioned between the fixed cylinder 8 and shoulder 3 is a cylinder I3 provided with circumferentially spaced holes for receiving the longiw tudinally slidable tumbler pins I4. Pins I4, when the tumbler lock is in locked position, will be in longitudinal alignment with the tumbler pins I 0. Tumbler pins I0 will also be of different lengths as is common in tumbler lock practice. Tumbler pin cylinder I3 is fixed to the plug I2 in any desired manner as by the integral spline I5 shown in Figs. '7 and 8. Any other suitable means for fixing cylinder I3 to plug I2 may be availed of as desired. Cylinder I3 is rotatable with relation to the shell I so that as the plug is rotated cylinder I3 will rotate with the plu within the shell. As will be understood a complemental groove or keyway will be formed in the plug to receive the spline I5, which keywaylt extends to the key. end of the plug to facilitate assembly of parts. V

Fixed upon the right hand endof plug ill,v as viewedin Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 7, is a cam plate 11; which cam plate has fixed thereto a crank pin I8, so that when the plug I 2 is rotated, cam plate I! and crank pin I8 move therewith. A portion of the cam plate I! is radially extended at I9 so that its shoulders 2II and 2I will respectively strike-the ends 22 and 23 or the extension 24 line 8-8 tween these parts so as to insure that the cam plate will always be rotated when the plug" is rotated.

Positioned between the inner face of cam plate i1 and the right hand end of. cylinder 8, as viewed in Fig. 3, is a block 26 of resilient material such as rubber or the like. This rubber-block is formed with a central opening, 21 within which the plug is rotatable. Block 26 isalso nonrotatably fixed in any desired manner to the inside-surface of the shell I. One method 'oi fixing these parts together is by means of a pin 28- fixed in a. hole: inthe'shell and passinginto the rubber block. As seen in Figs. 3', 5 and 7, the ends of each-oi. the tumbler pins. I10 adjacent the block 26 areiormed" witha head 29 to:provide a somewhat larger'bearing surface against block 26.

; Such heads. however, could be omitted if desired, as: the main. requirement" is that the ends or. the tumbler? pins l0 when the lock is being unlocked returnably indent; or are. forced into memarerm of the rubber block. lhe resilience ofthis blockwillreturn theturnbler pins to their initialflo'cked'; position-.shou n in Fig. 3, when the pressure of. the: key? is relieved from the ends of the tumbler pins [4. As'seen in Fig. I0, the rubberblock i n the form of my", invention shown in -Figs. I toll); is in thefor m of adisk with sub stantial thickness so. as to give-- the necessary amount of material forthe required advancing and" retarding: of the tumbler pins. This disk or'lcil'ocl'cv is formed in-the desired location around its circumference: with arr opening 30 to receive the pin: 28 earlier referred to herein. Also this plug is formed at preferably equal distances around its circumference with radialslots 3| extending partway through the thickness of the rubber block. I his provides aplurality of separate portions 32 to increase the efliciency of the action of the rubber block when one or more of-the tumbler pins is being pressed thereinto with a resiliency thatwill return the pin or pins when the key is removed. In other words, these separate portions 32- enable these: portions of the rubber block to act independentlyrwithout exerting'a pull on the portions of' the rubber block on each side of said portions 321 As seen. in Fig. 7, the key adjacent its forward end is formed" with a more or less elongated rib 33 which enters the keyway [6 in the; plug when the 'key' is; inserted into the-lock; The key T is formed with bittings 34 which is common in tumbler lock" practicewhich b'i'ttings will vary with various locks. As seen in Fig. 3-, when the lockv is'in locked condition and the key removed, the outer ends-'- of the tumbler pins [4" will raise against the side? edges offlange 4" at spaced apart circumferential. points in such manner that approximately half of each: of 'tumbl'ers M will. be inside of the circle of smallest diameter of? flange 4. and the" other halfof said tumbler: pins will be resting'against-the innerfa'ce offlange 4. The tumbled pins are held in'that position by the resiliency of the rubber block 26. It will also be understood that the length of the tumbler pins of the lock, andthe lengths of the bitt'ings. 34 will be- .suclr that whentlre key ispu hen. home the: abutting ends of? tumbler-pins lo; and 154. will bepositioned in line with the parting plane between the contacting faces of cylinders 8 and I3 to permit rotation of the plug.

In the operation of this form of my lock, it will be understood from the above; that when the key 1 is inserted into the annular space 35 between the adjacent ends of the plug and flange 4' with the lug 6 entering notch 5, the rear ends of. the bittings will, at the proper moment, strike the rear ends of the tumbler pins l4 and push the same inwardly to bring their opposite ends intothe-parting plane. This movement will continue until the end of the key strikes the end of the cylinder l3 at which time the opposite ends of tumbler pins l4--will all fall in the parting plane; having: in the meantime: pushed the inner ends of tumbler pins Ill into the same plane. This permits rotation at the plug 1'2 and: unlatching of the latchwith which thelock is conventionally connected. This inward. move ,ment of the tumbler pins forces: the; heads 29 of tumbler pins l'0 into the material of the rubber block' 26 where: they are held by abutment of the key'lug 6 against the inner. face-of shell flange 4' until thekey is again reversed' to'posi tion for removal. Thiscompression of themesterial of rubber block 26 normally urges": the tumbler pin to move: in: an outward direction which, when the key is returned to removing position, will again move the tumbler pins into locked position 'as shOWI-li in. 3; In: each of Figs. 5 and 7, the key is shown: as pushed into position to unlock the tumblers: to pe'rmiti the plug [2 and the cam plate IT to berotated together: As seen in Fig. 9, one: set of tumbler:

pin openings is -om-itted to provide for the: notches 5 and l 6 i01 the kem It. is thusseen that I have provided. a novel tumbler lock inwhich the use of metallic-springs are: eliminated, thusobviating rust of such springs; breakage" of the same; or other spring failures- My new form of lock also greatly-sim plifies tumbler locks; and enables them to be much more economically produced without 10sing any: of the eihciencyof such-looks; pres ent invention alsoelimihates the need of dis'man tling the lock? in order to repaira broken: me tallic spring, which broken spring would: destroy the usefulness of the lock; While Ihavereferred to block 26 as being rubber, anyother suitable non-metallic material may be used which pos sesses the general resiliency of rubber and which will return the tumbler pinsto locked position when the-key isremovedi Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a; tumbler lock, a shell; a phig; .a"--Tirst tumbler cylinder fixed to sai'dplug, ,a' second tumbler cylindenflxedto said shell, each of said cylinders havin a plurality of holes extending therethrough parallel to the axis of said cylinders, tumblers i'n-sai'd 'h'oles; andablock of yieldable resilient material mounted inback or said second tumbler cylinder" for'yieldablybiasirrg the tumblers during-unlockingof the lock;

2. A tumbler" l'ocki as claimed in claim 15. in which said blocl' is afbrmvect of rubber:

3. A tumbler look as claimed% in. clalm 2i'ii1 which said rubber blockis of an external diameter' ap'proximatelythat'of the interior diam eter of the adjacent portion of said shell.

4. A tumbler lock comprising;- ashell; a plug within said shell and having fixed at oneend' a cam. plate for: operating locking means. ea -pair of tumbler cylinders: arrangeoiendstoqencl between.

the shell and the plug, the contacting" endsmf saidi cylinders. falling in a common parting plane, tumblers in each of said cylinders slidably extending therethrough parallel to the axis of said cylinders, one of said cylinders being fixed to the shell and the other being fixed to the plug, and a resilient block positioned in the shell between the cam plate and the cylinder which is fixed to the shell for yieldably biasing the tumblers during unlocking of the lock.

5. A tumbler lock comprising, a shell, a plug in said shell adapted to be rotated therein by a key, a plurality of tumbler cylinders between said shell and plug, one of said cylinders being fixed to the shell and another one of said cylinders being fixed to the plug, tumblers longitudinally slidable in said cylinders and extending therethrough parallel to the axis of said cylinders, a resilient block fixed to said shell and within which the plug is rotatable, said block being mounted in back of the end of the cylinder which is fixed to the shell for yieldably biasing the tumblers, whereby when a key is inserted into the lock said tumblers will bemoved longitudinally and the ends of some of the tumblers ,will be returnably indented into the material of the resilient block.

6. A tumbler lock comprising, a shell, a rotatable plug, a pair of tumbler cylinders one fixed to the shell and the other fixed to the plug, tumblers slidably mounted in said cylinders and extending therethrough parallel to the axis of said cylinders, and a rubber block mounted in back of the end of one of said cylinders to be resiliently indented by the adjacent ends of the tumblers when a key is pushed into the lock, said block yieldably biasing the tumblers during unlocking of the lock.

7. A tumbler look as claimed -in claim 6, in which the rubber block is formed with an axial opening to rotatably receive said plug, and is fixed to said shell.

8. A tumbler lock as claimed in claim 6, in which the rubber block is formed with a plurality of slits extending longitudinally part way into the block, to provide a plurality of independent thrust-receiving-portions one for each set of aligned tumblers.

9. A tumbler look as claimed in claim 6, in which the tumblers are of varying length and are pushed endwise by a key during the unlocking operation at which time the inner ends of the tumblers are pushed difierent distances into the rubber block, and when the key is removed the resiliency of the block will return the tumblers to locked position.

10. In a tumbler lock, a shell, a rotatable plug having a cam plate fixed on one end, a tumbler cylinder fixed to said shell in spaced relation to the cam plate, a second tumbler cylinder fixed to said plug in rotatable contact with the first mentioned tumbler cylinder, sets of tumbler pins slidably mounted in said tumbler cylinders and extending therethrough parallel to the axis of said plug and adapted to be moved by a key to unlocked position, a cylindrical rubber block fixed to said shell in the space between the cam plate and the first mentioned tumbler cylinder and contacting the adjacent ends of the tumbler pins in said first mentioned tumbler cylinder, said rubber block in its end nearest said first mentioned tumbler cylinder having a plurality of radial slots extending inwardly a portion of the length of the block to form individual portions each receiving the adjacent ends of the tumbler pins in said first mentioned tumbler cylinder, the ends of the tumbler pins contacting said individual portions of the rubber block each having an enlarged head to be returnably indented into the material of said individual portions of the rubber block, whereby said individual portions will act independently of each other without exerting a pull on adjacent individual portions when the tumbler pins are moved by a key to unlocked position, and return the pins to normal position when the force moving the pins is removed.

11. In a tumbler lock, a shell, a plug, a first tumbler cylinder fixed to said plug, a second tumbler cylinder fixed to said shell, each of said cylinders having a plurality of holes, tumblers in said-,holes extending therethrough parallel to the axis of said cylinders, a block of yieldable resilient material mounted in back of said second tumbler cylinder for yieldably biasing the tumblers during unlocking of the lock, said block being formed of rubber, and each of the tumblers abutting the block being formed with a head at all times contacting said block.

12. In a tumbler look, a shell, a plug, a first tumbler cylinder fixed to said plug, a second tumbler cylinder fixed to said shell, each of said cylinders having a plurality of holes, tumblers in said holes extending therethrough parallel to the axis of said cylinders, a block of yieldable resilient material mounted in back of said second tumbler cylinder for yieldably biasing the tumblers during unlocking of the lock, said block being formed of rubber and being non-rotatably fixed to said shell.

13. A tumbler lock as claimed in claim 12, in which said rubber block is formed with a longitudinal central hole within which said plug is rotatably mounted.

14. In a tumbler lock, a shell, a plug, a first tumbler cylinder fixed to said plug, a second tumbler cylinder fixed to said shell, each of said cylinders having a plurality of holes, tumblers in said holes extending therethrough parallel to the axis of said cylinders, and a block of rubber mounted in back of said second tumbler cylinder for yieldably biasing the tumblers during unlocking of the lock, said rubber block being formed with a longitudinal central hole within which said plug is rotatably mounted, and said rubber block being formed with a plurality of radial slits to provide a plurality of laterally separate cushions one for each tumbler in said second tumbler cylinder.

HARRY F. GEORGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Aug. 6, 1928 

